Nebraska Census

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United States  Gotoarrow.png  U.S. Census  Gotoarrow.png  Nebraska  Gotoarrow.png Census

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Tips
  • If at first you don't find a name, try again under another spelling.
  • Photocopy each ancestor's census. Identify where you found it.
  • Look for an ancestor in every census during her or his lifetime.
  • On the family group record show each person's census listings.
  • Study others in the same household, neighbors, and anyone with the similar names nearby on the census in community context.
  • For a list of the exact date of each federal census, click here.

Nebraska State Censuses Online

Online Nebraska indexes and images

Template:Census Online Nebraska

Federal population schedules

Microfilm images

Federal Census Microfilms Available from the Family History Library
1940 N/A 1910 1870 
1930 1900 and Soundex 1860
1920 and Soundex 1880 and Soundex


Federal Census Microfilms Available from the National Archives
1940 N/A 1910 T624  1870 M593
1930 T626 1900 T623 and Soundex T1057 1860 M653
1920 T625 and Soundex M1573 1880 T9 and Soundex T760


In 1860, Nebraska Territory encompassed most of present-day Nebraska and parts of the present-day states of Wyoming, Montana, North and South Dakota, and Colorado.

Indexes: fiche, film, or book

For a list of microform and book indexes for the population schedules of Nebraska, click here

Federal non-population schedules

Online indexes and images

Online Federal Non-Population Schedules for Nebraska

Free Free at Some Libraries (usually with library card) Pay
Year Type Record Search Heritage Quest Ancestry FHL Ancestry Library Ancestry Home
1890 Veterans - - Link Link Link
1885 Mortality - - - - -
1880 Defective - - Link Link Link
1880 Mortality - - Link Link Link
1880 Industry - - Link Link Link
1880 Agriculture - - Link Link Link
1870 Social Statistics - - Link Link Link
1870 Mortality - - Link Link Link
1870 Industry - - Link Link Link
1870 Agriculture - - Link Link Link
1860 Social Statistics - - Link Link Link
1860 Mortality - - Link Link Link
1860 Industry - - Link Link Link
1860 Agriculture - - Link Link Link

Microfilm images

Indian census rolls, Winnebago, 1904-1939 Mortality, agriculture and industry schedule, 1880
Indian census rolls, Yankton, 1885-1931 Mortality, agriculture and industry schedule, 1870
Indian census rolls, Santee, 1885-1917 Mortality, agriculture and industry schedule, 1860
Census records, Winnebago, 1869-1929


Mortality schedules for 1860, 1870, 1880, and 1885 are also located at the Nebraska State Historical Society at http://www.nebraskahistory.org/.

Indexes: fiche, film, or book

For a list of microform and book indexes for the non-population schedules of Nebraska, click here.

State and territorial censuses

Nebraska often took censuses in the years between the federal censuses, the dates are listed below. State census records may have columns that were different or more unusual than those found on federal censuses. The responses and years of coverage may give additional information on the family.

  • 1917 Counties: Cass [1]
  • 1898 Counties: Gage [1]
  • 1885 Counties: Extant for all counties except Blaine and Chase. [1]
  • 1884 Counties: Madison [1]
  • 1882 Counties: Cass [1]
  • 1881 Counties: Cass [1]
  • 1880 Counties: Cass, Lancaster [1]
  • 1879 Counties: Cass, Lancaster [1]
  • 1878 counties: Cass, Lancaster [1]
  • 1877 Counties: Cass [1]
  • 1876 Counties: Cass, Frontier, Sarpy (Richardson Precinct) [1]
  • 1875 Counties: Lancaster [1]
  • 1874 Counties: Jefferson, Kearney, Lancaster [1]
  • 1872 Counties: Dawson [1]
  • 1870 Counties: Lancaster [1]
  • 1869 Counties: Butler, Stanton [1]
  • 1865 Counties: Butler, Cumings, Lancaster (Saltillo and Lancaster Precincts), Otoe [2][1]
  • 1864 Counties: Cedar [1]
  • 1858 Counties: Otoe (Nebraska City) [1]
  • 1856 Counties:  Burt, Cass, Clay, Cumings, Dakota, Dodge (Northern and Southern Districts), Lancaster, Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Platte, Richardson, Washington  [2] [1]
  • 1855 Counties: Cass (census and index), Dodge, Douglas, Franklin (records and index), Nemaha, Otoe, Pawnee, Richardson [2][1]
  • 1854 all 6 districts [2] [1]
  • 1913-1914 A detailed census of German immigrants from Russia living in Lincoln was taken for Nebraska. The information is similar to that found in the 1900 census, but the town or colony of birth is also given. It is arranged by street. (Family History Library film 833157.)
  • 1885 The Federal Government took a special census of Nebraska, which is on 56 microfilms at the Family History Library and at the Nebraska State Historical Society. The society also has the state Gazetteer and Business Directory for 1886 and a card index made from the directory that provides a partial index to the census. The Family History Library does not have the directory or the card index.
  • The 1854, 1855, and 1856 Nebraska territorial censuses have been transcribed, indexed, and published in: Cox, Eunice Evelyn. 1854, 1855, 1856 Nebraska Territory Censuses. Ellensburg, Washington: Cox, 1977. (Family History Library book 978.2 X2p 1854-1856; film 1036024 item 2; fiche 6051283.)
  • 1854, 1855, 1856, 1865, and 1869 Territorial and state censuses exist for parts of Nebraska. The county enumerations of several eastern Nebraska counties, were published in:The Nebraska and Midwest Genealogical Record, vols. 13-22, 1932-44 (Family History Library film 162018). The State Archives at the Nebraska State Historical Society has a card index for the 1865 and 1869 censuses. The existing records are at the Nebraska State Historical Society.

Existing and lost censuses

For a list of available and missing Nebraska censuses, click here.

Why use a census?

A well-indexed census is one of the easiest ways to locate where an ancestor's family lived and when they lived there. You can also use censuses to follow the changes in a family over time, and identify neighbors. These and other clues provided by censuses are important because they help find additional kinds of records about the family.

More about censuses

Click here for additional details about how to use censuses, such as:

Sources and footnotes

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 “Nebraska Population Census Records at the Nebraska State Historical Society [Internet site]” at http://www.nebraskahistory.org/ (accessed 3 Jan 2010).
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 State Census Register: State and County Census Register Located at the Family History Library. (Salt Lake City: FHL, 2005), 2: 771-8.